In 1956 I had the opportunity to go on to aircrew as photographer (the company was Hunting Survey/Aerofilms). This work involved weekends on standby at Elstree aerodrome and flying all over the UK so I missed several rallies. The company used Auster Autocars for oblique photography, a DH Rapide and an Airspeed Oxford for survey photography. The company had their own pilots and navigators but sometimes I would be sent to Blackpool, Nottingham, Leeds, Newcastle - all having airfields nearby. I would hire a pilot and aircraft, fly the job, put the film on the train care of the guard back to Borehamwood for processing. On one such weekend in 1957 I missed the Cranfield rally as we had to survey part of the Midlands but at least I saw some of the Team Racing from 5000 ft as flew over Cranfield on our way back!

Most oblique photography was flown at very low altitude often below 1000ft some times 500/600ft for a small target. We had our registration taken when we flew over a pig farm; apparently the engine noise disturbed the farmers breeding sow and when we got back to the office the police were waiting to interview us and we had to write a statement for the police.

A few weeks later we were flying over London taking a few photo's on spec, to get a good shot of the Tower of London meant flying along the Thames in a shallow dive below the legal height with the throttle closed for a quiet pass to get the shot. When we got back to the office the police were again waiting to interview us as we were so low the office staff in the Admiralty offices could easily read our registration on the fuselage of our Auster. This meant another written
statement to the police.

The de Havilland Rapide we often used for survey photography is now at Duxford museum. When I told the pilot I flew in this Rapide in 1957 he said he wasn't born then! They offered me a flight in the aircraft for half price I even sat in the same seat.